Common Medicines for Adult-Onset Still’s Disease

Adult-Onset Still's Disease is a painful condition. Read on to know more about these 5 common AOSD medicines and how they work.

Still’s Disease, a rare form of arthritis, is usually characterized by joint inflammation, high fevers, and a rash that is salmon-pink in color. This disease, named after Sir George F. Still, an English physician, was initially detected in children, and is referred to as Systemic-Onset Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. However, it also occurs in adults, although it is much less common as compared to children. Referred to as Adult-Onset Still’s Disease (AOSD), this may lead to chronic arthritis.

Although the exact cause of Still’s Disease is not yet known, there are a number of theories regarding it, including research which suggests that it stems from an infection, and that it might be an autoimmune disease.

Fewer than 1 among 100,000 people develop Still’s Disease every year (it is more common in women), and there are no identified risk factors for this disease. The symptoms of Adult-Onset Still’s Disease include joint pain, rash, high fever, and sore throat. Although all people with AOSD have these symptoms in common, the severity and type of symptoms may vary for each individual.

What You Need to Know

The fever usually spikes twice in a day and can rise to 102 degrees C or more. The rash, in most cases, comes and goes with the rise of the fever. The rash, which does not itch, is most commonly seen on the face, arms, legs, and the torso. Joint pain and swelling is one of the most common symptoms of Still’s Disease, and it usually affects a few joints initially before spreading to several others. The wrist and knees are the most commonly affected joints in people with AOSD, and this can persist as a long-term condition. Severe muscle pain, a sore throat accompanied with a burning sensation, and swollen lymph nodes are among other signs and symptoms of Still’s Disease. Patients of AOSD may also experience abdominal pain, nausea, poor appetite, and weight loss as an outcome.

Still’s Disease is capable of causing grave damage to the joints and can also affect the normal functioning of your heart and lungs. While the fever and rash that characterize the disease go away within some months for most patients, the joint swelling can remain giving rise to the threat of chronic arthritis.

The diagnosis of Adult Still’s Disease depends on a number of factors including your medical history and evaluation of the symptoms. However, currently there is no single test that can detect AOSD. It can be identified only after ruling out other diseases. As such, you might have to undergo a number of tests and physical examinations before getting a final prognosis of the disease. Some blood tests that can help your doctor determine the existence of Still’s Disease include a Complete Blood Count (CBC) and ESR among others to check inflammation, etc. Other tests such as an abdominal ultrasound and X-rays may help reveal other damage and further inflammation.

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